REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7898 AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the " AFP Modernization Act ." Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to a level where it can effectively and fully perform its constitutional mandate to uphold the sovereignty and preserve the patrimony of the Republic of the Philippines. Toward this end, the principal thrusts of the modernization program under this Act shall be: (a) The development of a self-reliant and credible strategic armed force along the concept of a "Citizens Armed Force" ; the reconfiguration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines structure; and the professionalization of the AFP; (b) The undertaking of reforms in the recruitment, training, employment and management of AFP personnel; (c) The development, validation or modification of AFP doctrines; (d) The acquisition and upgrading of appropriate technology and equipment; and (e) The relocation, improvement, and construction of bases and other facilities. Sec. 3. Objectives of the AFP Modernization Program. — The AFP modernization program shall be implemented in accordance with the following objectives: (a) To develop its capability to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic and to secure the national territory from all forms of intrusion and encroachment; (b) To develop its capability to assist civilian agencies in the preservation of the national patrimony, including the country's living and nonliving marine, submarine, mineral, forest and other natural resources located within its territory and its exclusive economic zone (EEZ); (c) To enhance its capability to fulfill its mandate to protect the Filipino people not only from armed threats but from the ill effects of life-threatening and destructive consequences of natural and man-made disasters and calamities, including typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, major accidents in far-flung or inaccessible terrain or at sea and from all forms of ecological damage; (d) To improve its capability to assist other agencies in the enforcement of domestic and foreign policies as well as international covenants against piracy, white slavery, smuggling, drug trafficking, hijacking of aircraft and seacraft and the transport of toxic and other ecologically-harmful substances taking place in or through Philippine territory; (e) To enhance its capability to assist the Philippine National Police in law enforcement and internal security operations; (f) To enhance its capability to fulfill the country's international commitments; and (g) To develop its capability to support national development. Sec. 4. Components of the AFP Modernization Program. — The AFP modernization program shall consist of the following components: (a) Force restructuring and organizational development. — the AFP modernization program shall develop the AFP into a compact, efficient, responsive and modern for with the capability to engage in conventional and/or unconventional warfare, disaster relief and rescue operations, and contribute to economic development and other nontraditional military roles. This component of the modernization program shall likewise provide for the identification, organization, training and development of reserve force and affiliated reserve units in the AFP, especially in the Navy and Air Force. (b) Capability, material, and technology development. — The AFP modernization program entails the development and employment of certain capabilities that can address the assessed threats: Provided , That the acquisition of air force, navy and army equipment and material of such types and quantities shall be made in accordance with the need to develop AFP capabilities pursuant to its modernization objectives: Provided, further , That the acquisition of new equipment and weapons systems, shall be synchronized with the phase-out of uneconomical and obsolete major equipment and weapons systems in the AFP inventory: Provided, even further, That no major equipment and weapons system shall be purchased of the same are not being used by the armed forces in the country of origin or used by the armed forces of at least two countries: Provided, furthermore , That only offers from suppliers who are themselves the manufacturers shall be entertained: Provided, finally , That no supply contract shall be entered into unless such contract provides for, it is clear and unambiguous terms, an after-sales services and the availability of spare parts. (c) Bases/support system development. — The AFP modernization program shall entail the development of permanent bases for land, air and naval forces to conform with national defense strategies and the government's socioeconomic thrusts; provide a systematic relocation of AFP units to enhance their capability in the performance of their mission; provide adequate support systems and housing facilities to AFP units and personnel; provide training grounds for maneuver and territorial forces as well as the reserve components; and develop bases and camps along standard criteria for space allocations, zoning and efficient correlation of land areas and structure. (d) Human resource development. — The human resource development component of the AFP modernization program shall have the following objectives: (1) To strengthen the patriotic spirit and nationalist consciousness of the military and respect for people's rights in the performance of their duty; (2) To develop and transform the AFP into a primarily external security-oriented force; (3) To develop a compact, effective, efficient and responsive citizen-based force; (4) To implement programs that will enable the AFP to perform its role in environment/resource protection and multinational peace-keeping operations; (5) To convert the AFP into a service/people-oriented and professionally united force; and (6) To improve the quality of life of soldiers and their families and reorient values of all personnel in the AFP. (e) Doctrines and development. — The transition of the AFP from an internal security-oriented force to an external security-oriented force to an external security-oriented force requires the review, evaluation and validation of its present set of doctrines for the purpose of formalizing such doctrines. Towards this end, the Department of National Defense and the general headquarters, AFP shall be responsible for the generation, evaluation, consolidation and formalization of doctrines; the conduct of periodic review and validation of doctrines through field application, testing and exercises; and the dissemination of approved doctrines at all levels of command. The Secretary of National Defense shall formulate guidelines to implement this section in accordance with the objectives of the modernization program enumerated in the preceding section. Sec. 5. Development of AFP Capabilities. — The AFP modernization program shall be geared towards the development of the following defense capabilities: (a) Development of naval defense capability — Given the archipelagic nature of the Philippines, the Philippine Navy (PN) shall develop its capabilities for naval defense, amphibious warfare, sealift and transport, and surface warfare; naval gunfire support, detection and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, disaster response as well as capabilities for anti-air, anti- submarine and mine warfare. The enhanced navy defense capabilities shall enable the AFP to: (1) Develop its capabilities for naval defense; (2) Conduct amphibious operations for both military and civilian relief operations; (3) Defend the Philippine territorial seas, all its internal waters, as well as its 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), from all forms of illegal intrusion or passage; (4) Protect all submarine-based lines of domestic and international communication; (5) Identify all vessels and monitor all kinds of surface and submarine passage through Philippine territorial waters; (6) Protect and preserve, through the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), all coastal, near- coastal and riparian living and nonliving marine resources; (7) Provide transportation of personnel and material in times of natural disaster and rescue operations; and (8) Provide, and if practicable, manufacture, through Filipino skills and technology, its own requirements for seacraft and infrastructure supply and maintenance. (b) Development of air defense capability. — The Philippine Air Force (PAF), being the country's first line of external defense shall develop its air defense capability by acquiring multi- role aircraft, air munitions, avionics, point and area defense missile system, maritime patrol and reconnaissance, and early warning and control system, as well as capabilities for strategic and battlefield airlift and limited ground attack in support of surface forces. The enhanced air defense capability shall enable the AFP to: (1) detect, identify, intercept and engage, if necessary, any aircraft illegally intruding into or passing through Philippine airspace, up to areas near or around Philippine territorial limits; (2) Provide air support to Philippine ground and naval armed forces; (3) Provide airlift, search and rescue, rapid deployment and related support in combat as well as disaster and other civilian relief operations; and (4) Provide, and if practicable, manufacture, through Filipino skills and technology, its own requirements for aircraft